I feel like an Onomancer wizard would be FANTASTIC as an NPC or antagonist for a DM to use...
I mean, what is the first thing most players do when some stranger appears in their game and asks who they are?
If a player gives them their name, suddenly the DM has more fodder to use against the party...and suddenly that player who let slip their name now has a personal rival to face down.
I think less highly of Onomancy for a player to use...a tad conditional.
I like the visual flavor of Resonants, though...even if that seems more like a bard thing.
And i dont know what you are reading but Healing Spirit is one of the strongest mid fight team heals until you get access to mass cure wounds. And yes i know that its temp hit points, because i can read, However At Second Level and extra 1d8+3 could easily be nearly doubling a characters HP
It's just 1d8, not 1d8+3. *(for twilight ability; not talking about healing spirit... and, now that I think about it, you were probably referring to healing spirit too... sorry!)
So, I think that part of the (twilight ability) effect is just right. I guess I tend to like stuff like this that gives more longevity at those early, low-hp levels. It's a narrative drag to realize it's 10 a.m. and the party already is so banged up that they need a long rest. Just an opinion (there obviously tons of ways to mitigate this. It's just somewhat more likely to happen at low levels with an ill-timed crit or something). And 1d8 thp will not mean as much by mid-tier.
But, yeah, totally being able to sidestep charm/fear is definitely something DMs will have to make a big adjustment to account for. Seems like it should be advantage or something like that.
re: the druid's fire spirit fiery teleportation:
How are people reading that so far? Does everyone who gets teleported take the AoE damage too? Or just the chumps left behind? I love the mass-misty-step. Almost OP, for my taste, but makes for a very interesting ability. But it gets more complex if you've got to endure that damage to teleport...
*edited to clarify reference to twilight cleric ability
I think the fiery misty-step is fine, it's 1d6+x damage in a 10 foot radius once per short or long rest.
Crawford talks about a True Name basically being how Batman calls himself Batman, not Bruce Wayne. Batman would be his True Name. I feel torn on the subject. I feel like if an Onomancer wanted to have power over Batman, they wouldn't use "Batman" as the reagent for the spell. They'd need his essence-name-thing.
But wouldn't that just make sense for a Batman story arc? Truenamer type villain spends a considerable amount of effort and resources to discover Batman is Bruce Wayne only to find that the name Bruce Wayne has no power over him.
Crawford talks about a True Name basically being how Batman calls himself Batman, not Bruce Wayne. Batman would be his True Name. I feel torn on the subject. I feel like if an Onomancer wanted to have power over Batman, they wouldn't use "Batman" as the reagent for the spell. They'd need his essence-name-thing.
But wouldn't that just make sense for a Batman story arc? Truenamer type villain spends a considerable amount of effort and resources to discover Batman is Bruce Wayne only to find that the name Bruce Wayne has no power over him.
It makes a ton of sense for a Batman "oh Batman is so cool" chuckle- in fact, it's been used before in this way. In Batman Beyond, a villain was talking in Bruce's head, and in the end we all get a laugh because he says "I knew it wasn't me being crazy, because the voice was calling me Bruce. That's not what I call myself."
But we're not trying to make a Batman is Cool story, this class will usually be used by players. This suggests that the Onomancer character spends all his time researching the true name of The Great Destroyer, finds out his name is Boris Trudvang, and then when the big battle goes down- whoops, the guy's True Name isn't Boris Trudvang. Oh, it's The Great Destroyer.
I think a True Name should be something incredibly basic, or incredibly complex. In 3.5e you needed a skill dedicated to pronouncing truenames, because they were weird, long, universe-noise-sounds, and you had to say them precisely. It wasn't 'Greg.'
But hey, this is just how I prefer it to work- I just don't like the mutability of how they treat True Names in this 5e iteration. A player could even know and/or create their True Name if they did the necessary research etc., but man I don't think it's 'Greg, except I've been calling myself Bloodmane for so long now that it's Bloodmane.' That's just not how I'll use it in my games.
Gotta be honest, I love the Twilight Domain Cleric, but the abilities feel very redundant next to other class abilities that play around darkvision. This is my favorite version of that style of character, granted, but it feels like it's been done one too many times already. Combine that with the fact that the built in flying being a very disjointed entry. It feels like a subclass that is absolutely awesome from a pure munchkin standpoint, but needs the flying ability swapped out for basically anything different, because just making a Shadow Monk/Sorcerer (but this time in plate armor!) and giving more freedom of movement on how you can utilize it just feels like it stomps on the aforementioned role's toes while also being a little creatively bankrupt.
With that said, I don't really believe in critiquing something without providing a possible alternative, so I'd say ditch the Darkness Flying in exchange for an ability/effect that allows the Twilight Cleric to warp how light generally functions around them, causing natural/magical light within the effect to instead provide dim light in it's place. This plays well with the rest of their kit, since you'll be providing darkvision anyways, has some fun fluff/world interaction with it, and buffs the Light Cantrip or similar effects like it to still provide bright light for your team, but also impose dim light to your enemies. Despite being a "darkness" themed subclass, light still plays a pivotal role in "twilight", and I feel this better represents that idea while also giving utility to the Clerics "Light" spell options without feeling like a nombo.
I definitely would love the Twilight Domain tweaked and see an eventual book release, because the kit is fun, but if I ever see a, "Shadow [Class]" again, I'll probably groan.
Twilight Domain: seems a bit excessive but with some minor nerfs could be pretty fun actually!
Wildfire Circle: YES! I love the alternate use of wild shape and the really fun thematic of a forest being reborn from ash.
Onomancy school: Someone at WotC read the Eragon book series and actually liked the true name stuff. Each their own I guess. Seems at least the class is more interesting than the last book.
Twilight Domain: seems a bit excessive but with some minor nerfs could be pretty fun actually!
Wildfire Circle: YES! I love the alternate use of wild shape and the really fun thematic of a forest being reborn from ash.
Onomancy school: Someone at WotC read the Eragon book series and actually liked the true name stuff. Each their own I guess. Seems at least the class is more interesting than the last book.
I agree the twilight Cleric seems interesting and fun, but needs a little nerffing.
I like the fire druid. And it seems pretty good as is.
I have never played a wizard, so have no opinion on it.
I agree the twilight Cleric seems interesting and fun, but needs a little nerffing.
I like the fire druid. And it seems pretty good as is.
I have never played a wizard, so have no opinion on it.
The fire druid does seem the most balanced of this bunch, i do find some of the spirit's abilities kinda weak, namely the fiery teleportation.
The fiery teleportation is more for the utility i would say so the damage isnt important. But i feel like even when the flame seed become 6 + 7 at max proficiency its almost a mundane amount of damage at most times i feel.
The fiery teleportation is more for the utility i would say so the damage isnt important. But i feel like even when the flame seed become 6 + 7 at max proficiency its almost a mundane amount of damage at most times i feel.
I agree with the damage, it's the uses that are pretty weak, once per short rest is pretty bad imo
Yep. Cleric is my fav class, and druid my 2ed (I hadn't played 5e paladin yet. Now that they don't have to be lawful good=stupid, they might be right up there with druid. We'll see). Hopefully DnD will do the right things with both these sub-casses, bc they both have loads of potential. And I have to say, so far they have done a pretty good job with 5e.
I want to like the new druid, but something about it just feels like someone's tried to put Pokemon into my D&D...
If it was a Pokemon Druid, I'd have wanted the option of a Grass or Water type starter instead of getting only the Fire type. I wouldn't even give it the Digimon comparison.
The Cleric & Druid subclasses look awesome... some things might need to be balanced down a bit, but nothing that looks like a game-breaker, or like it shits on other existing builds. Twilight Domain is just another Cleric Domain, and Circle of Wildfire is just another Druid Circle.
The Wizard's Onomancy tradition? Not just another tradition... I have two major issues with that:
It's supposed to be exclusive to divine spellcasters (Cleric & Paladin), and is a major selling point on Clerics in particular. Not only does that step on Clerics & Paladins, but the Onomancer essentially gets to cast it for free all the time. **** that. No.
Giving a Wizard metamagic is not okay.
Resonant Utterance is metamagic. Let's not kid ourselves about that. A Wizard Tradition should never have anything approaching metamagic built in.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Careful spell - Give auto success on saving throws
Distant spell - Double a spell's range (or make touch's range 30)
Empowered Spell - Reroll spell damage (up to CHA dice)
Extended Spell - Double a spell's duration
Heightened Spell - Impose disadvantage on saving throw
Quickened Spell - Change Action spell to Bonus Action
Subtle Spell - Cast without verbal or somatic components
Twinned Spell - Target an additional creature
Things Resonant words can do:
Absorption - Temp HP to caster.
Devastation - Impose disadvantage on saving throw
Dissolution - Do some extra damage
Nullification - Know what spells affect target. INT check to end 1 spell's effects.
Puppetry - Move 10 feet closer/away or knock prone.
Sympathy - Can target a creature the caster can't see or under total cover.
Literally the ONLY overlapping effects are Devastation and Heightened spell. Further in order to even use resonants the caster needs to know the target's true name and speak it as a part of casting the spell. If a target doesn't have a true name (with these new true name mechanics plenty don't) then tough luck that creature can't be hit by these effects. Meaning every spell cast with resonants has a verbal component. Resonant Utterance can be shut down by silencing the caster. Hell the only Onomancy feature NOT shut down by silence is extract name.
Do correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think metamagic can be shut down by anything other than running out of sorcery points. Further, plenty of metamagic options can target multiple creatures, resonants can only target one named creature and the effects of those words only affect that one target.
If resonant utterance is metamagic then it's some really shitty metamagic. Still really cool though, precisely because it has mostly different effects.
On Bless: It still costs the wizard concentration so it's not totally free... That said I'm fine with that being replaced by something else. It seems weird that speaking just one true name in the spell lets you bless 3 targets when all the other Onomancy features target one creature only.
I feel like an Onomancer wizard would be FANTASTIC as an NPC or antagonist for a DM to use...
I mean, what is the first thing most players do when some stranger appears in their game and asks who they are?
If a player gives them their name, suddenly the DM has more fodder to use against the party...and suddenly that player who let slip their name now has a personal rival to face down.
I think less highly of Onomancy for a player to use...a tad conditional.
I like the visual flavor of Resonants, though...even if that seems more like a bard thing.
I think the fiery misty-step is fine, it's 1d6+x damage in a 10 foot radius once per short or long rest.
But wouldn't that just make sense for a Batman story arc? Truenamer type villain spends a considerable amount of effort and resources to discover Batman is Bruce Wayne only to find that the name Bruce Wayne has no power over him.
Would be nice to add to all power words for the wizard's subclass.
It makes a ton of sense for a Batman "oh Batman is so cool" chuckle- in fact, it's been used before in this way. In Batman Beyond, a villain was talking in Bruce's head, and in the end we all get a laugh because he says "I knew it wasn't me being crazy, because the voice was calling me Bruce. That's not what I call myself."
But we're not trying to make a Batman is Cool story, this class will usually be used by players. This suggests that the Onomancer character spends all his time researching the true name of The Great Destroyer, finds out his name is Boris Trudvang, and then when the big battle goes down- whoops, the guy's True Name isn't Boris Trudvang. Oh, it's The Great Destroyer.
I think a True Name should be something incredibly basic, or incredibly complex. In 3.5e you needed a skill dedicated to pronouncing truenames, because they were weird, long, universe-noise-sounds, and you had to say them precisely. It wasn't 'Greg.'
But hey, this is just how I prefer it to work- I just don't like the mutability of how they treat True Names in this 5e iteration. A player could even know and/or create their True Name if they did the necessary research etc., but man I don't think it's 'Greg, except I've been calling myself Bloodmane for so long now that it's Bloodmane.' That's just not how I'll use it in my games.
Gotta be honest, I love the Twilight Domain Cleric, but the abilities feel very redundant next to other class abilities that play around darkvision. This is my favorite version of that style of character, granted, but it feels like it's been done one too many times already. Combine that with the fact that the built in flying being a very disjointed entry. It feels like a subclass that is absolutely awesome from a pure munchkin standpoint, but needs the flying ability swapped out for basically anything different, because just making a Shadow Monk/Sorcerer (but this time in plate armor!) and giving more freedom of movement on how you can utilize it just feels like it stomps on the aforementioned role's toes while also being a little creatively bankrupt.
With that said, I don't really believe in critiquing something without providing a possible alternative, so I'd say ditch the Darkness Flying in exchange for an ability/effect that allows the Twilight Cleric to warp how light generally functions around them, causing natural/magical light within the effect to instead provide dim light in it's place. This plays well with the rest of their kit, since you'll be providing darkvision anyways, has some fun fluff/world interaction with it, and buffs the Light Cantrip or similar effects like it to still provide bright light for your team, but also impose dim light to your enemies. Despite being a "darkness" themed subclass, light still plays a pivotal role in "twilight", and I feel this better represents that idea while also giving utility to the Clerics "Light" spell options without feeling like a nombo.
I definitely would love the Twilight Domain tweaked and see an eventual book release, because the kit is fun, but if I ever see a, "Shadow [Class]" again, I'll probably groan.
Twilight Domain: seems a bit excessive but with some minor nerfs could be pretty fun actually!
Wildfire Circle: YES! I love the alternate use of wild shape and the really fun thematic of a forest being reborn from ash.
Onomancy school: Someone at WotC read the Eragon book series and actually liked the true name stuff. Each their own I guess. Seems at least the class is more interesting than the last book.
I agree the twilight Cleric seems interesting and fun, but needs a little nerffing.
I like the fire druid. And it seems pretty good as is.
I have never played a wizard, so have no opinion on it.
The fire druid does seem the most balanced of this bunch, i do find some of the spirit's abilities kinda weak, namely the fiery teleportation.
The fiery teleportation is more for the utility i would say so the damage isnt important. But i feel like even when the flame seed become 6 + 7 at max proficiency its almost a mundane amount of damage at most times i feel.
I agree with the damage, it's the uses that are pretty weak, once per short rest is pretty bad imo
Yeah, times = Wisdom modifier would be better.
Or at least times = proficiency bonus
Agreed, I think times= wis mod per long rest would fit better thematically but it's still playtest content so maybe they'll tweak it, fingers crossed.
Yep. Cleric is my fav class, and druid my 2ed (I hadn't played 5e paladin yet. Now that they don't have to be lawful good=stupid, they might be right up there with druid. We'll see). Hopefully DnD will do the right things with both these sub-casses, bc they both have loads of potential. And I have to say, so far they have done a pretty good job with 5e.
I want to like the new druid, but something about it just feels like someone's tried to put Pokemon into my D&D...
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
If it was a Pokemon Druid, I'd have wanted the option of a Grass or Water type starter instead of getting only the Fire type. I wouldn't even give it the Digimon comparison.
I would love to see a Cold based Druid !
And it would be so ez to make
The Circle of Wildfire druid provides a VERY unique way to do the elemental druid...and could easily apply to the Cold-based druid, Lightning, etc...
And it would give me a way to go into battle with a battle-ready snowman...
The Cleric & Druid subclasses look awesome... some things might need to be balanced down a bit, but nothing that looks like a game-breaker, or like it shits on other existing builds. Twilight Domain is just another Cleric Domain, and Circle of Wildfire is just another Druid Circle.
The Wizard's Onomancy tradition? Not just another tradition... I have two major issues with that:
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Things Metamagic can do:
Things Resonant words can do:
Literally the ONLY overlapping effects are Devastation and Heightened spell. Further in order to even use resonants the caster needs to know the target's true name and speak it as a part of casting the spell. If a target doesn't have a true name (with these new true name mechanics plenty don't) then tough luck that creature can't be hit by these effects. Meaning every spell cast with resonants has a verbal component. Resonant Utterance can be shut down by silencing the caster. Hell the only Onomancy feature NOT shut down by silence is extract name.
Do correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think metamagic can be shut down by anything other than running out of sorcery points. Further, plenty of metamagic options can target multiple creatures, resonants can only target one named creature and the effects of those words only affect that one target.
If resonant utterance is metamagic then it's some really shitty metamagic. Still really cool though, precisely because it has mostly different effects.
On Bless: It still costs the wizard concentration so it's not totally free... That said I'm fine with that being replaced by something else. It seems weird that speaking just one true name in the spell lets you bless 3 targets when all the other Onomancy features target one creature only.